The Metric System
Today, many products are labeled and sold in metric measurements. The metric system is based on tens and is already used in most of the world. Film, soft drinks, wines and alcoholic beverages, tools, and bicycles are now sold in metric measurements.
The metric system may seem confusing at first, but it is very easy to use. Clip out this page and keep it handy. Use it to become familiar with metric measurements and terms.
Metric measurements are noted in liters, grams, and meters or variations of these units, such as milliliters, kilograms and centimeters.
METER = measurement of length and area (square meter). In the future you'll see this in fabric or carpet stores and for measuring distance. A meter is a little longer than a yard.
LITER = measurement of volume. You already see this on beverages; in the future you'll see this on gasoline pumps. A liter is a little larger than a quart.
GRAM = measurement of mass (weight). You already see this on many food packages. In the future you'll see this at the deli counter and meat counter. A gram is a little more than the weight of a paper clip.
Metric Conversion Chart
| When you know | Multiply By | To Find | Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| LENGTH | |||
| inches | 2.5 | centimeters | cm |
| feet | 30.5 | centimeters | cm |
| yards | 0.9 | meters | m |
| miles | 1.6 | kilometers | km |
| AREA | |||
| square inches | 6.5 | sq. centimeters | cm2 |
| square feet | 0.09 | sq. meters | m2 |
| square yards | 0.8 | sq. meters | m2 |
| square miles | 2.6 | sq. kilometers | km2 |
| acres | 0.04 | hectares | ha |
| MASS (weight) | |||
| ounces | 28 | grams | g |
| pounds | 0.45 | kilograms | kg |
| short tons (2000 lb) | 0.9 | metric tons | t |
| VOLUME | |||
| teaspoons | 5 | milliliters | mL |
| tablespoons | 15 | milliliters | mL |
| cubic inches | 16.4 | milliliters | mL |
| fluid ounces | 30 | milliliters | mL |
| cups | 0.24 | liters | L |
| pints | 0.47 | liters | L |
| quarts | 0.95 | liters | L |
| gallons | 3.8 | liters | L |
Note: All conversion factors in this table are approximate because they have been rounded off to simplify calculations. A cubic centimeter (cc) is the same as a milliliter.
This information was brought to you by: The National Conference on Weights and Measures